VIDEO: Albany International Airport gets four-legged help in detecting explosives

Canines Seven and Zelda. The Transportation Security Administration at the Albany International Airport has two passenger screening canines, both are Black Labrador Retrievers. named Zelda and Seven. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

Canine Seven is alerted by a scent in a test luggage. The Transportation Security Administration at the Albany International Airport has two passenger screening canines, both are Black Labrador Retrievers. named Zelda and Seven. (Mike McMahon / The Record)

COLONIE -- While many people have been uncomfortable with some of the new security measures implemented by the federal Transportation Security Administration, the most recent tactic put into place at Albany International Airport might put them a bit more at ease.

In late 2012, the airport began using passenger screening canines as a less obtrusive form of searching travelers before getting on a plane. This comes after more invasive measures, including pat downs and full body scans, were implemented in 2010.

The dogs are trained to detect certain scents, said TSA Federal Security Director Brian Johansson. They are trained from birth to detect scents derived from explosive substances as opposed to narcotics or food.

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"They are very reliable in detecting odors," Johansson said. "If someone has a cheeseburger there are almost no responses to that."

The canines enter 10 to 12 weeks of intensive training before going out into the field. The dogs are then retired between the ages of 5 and 7 years old.

This new initiative stems from pilot programs used at Dulles, Miami and Orlando airports where TSA found the program worked well. As a result, TSA allowed it to expand into more than 20 other airports with more than 100 canine teams. There are now two teams at the Albany International Airport.

The cost of the program is paid for by federal tax dollars included in the TSA's budget. The cost for the installing a handler and a canine totals at $218,000 and the annual cost for the dogs' certification is $158,000.

Canines have been used in the past for detecting explosive materials in objects, but since the danger now comes from people potentially carrying them on their person, the focus has shifted. When detecting for items in objects, canines are trained in what is referred to as "nose down" where the handler instructs the dog where to sniff.

On Tuesday, Seven, a 2-year-old Black Labrador Retriever, was in the nose-up position, tasked with trying to detect materials on people. The handler must pay attention to the dog's change in behavior once it does detect something.

Albany International Airport CEO John O'Donnell said when the TSA was created just after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the airport was hesitant of the changes being made but said over the years the partnership forged with it has been fruitful.

"We are very proud of the outcome," O'Donnell said. "They provide a great level of security for us."

O'Donnell said even in a society where many people are living electronically whether on their smart phones or their tablets, the TSA's new initiative requires almost no electronics at all with only having to use dogs.

"The members of this new team are very loyal and very efficient," O'Donnell said.

Johansson said TSA is not a law enforcement agency and relies much on the partnerships it has with local authorities, such as the Albany County Sheriff's Department, which gave its opinion on the canine program before it started.

Sheriff Craig Apple admitted his department wasn't exactly pleased with some of the policy terminology to come out of some of the new search and seizure programs run by the TSA, fearing it would impede on passenger's rights to privacy. Since the programs were implemented, Apple said, there hasn't been a problem.

If anything, the new canine program has provided assistance to the deputies as the dogs are their eyes and ears in the airport. Once a canine detects something suspicious, it gives deputies a sign to then step in.

"It allows us to patrol the airport and secure the airport," Apple said. "If they get a call, we can respond. It at least gives us an individual to follow up on. But when a dog hits something it unfortunately means something is there at that point."

Apple said this may allow his department to expand its program by using its own bomb dog. He added having canines are really a win-win.

"The public loves dogs," Apple said. 'They bring a level of calmness and they are also a deterrent."